Defence minister visits Myanmar, assists Thai detainees

BANGKOK, August 15 (TNA ) - Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat is paying a two-day visit to Myanmar, from August 15-16, to officially introduce himself as the new Thai Defence Minister and to seek ways to assist 92 Thai detainees in the neighbouring country. Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol told journalists prior to his departure Wednesday morning that he was invited by his Myanmar counterpart for this week's trip to the neighbouring country to discuss and to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Myanmar, as well as to exchange opinions, as senior Thai military officers are also in Myanmar now, including Thai Navy Chief Admiral Surasak Roonroengrom. The Thai defence minister said that he will take the opportunity to hold talks with Myanmar President Thein Sein on how to take care and provide any assistance to the 92 Thai nationals who have been detained and prosecuted in Myanmar, acknowledging, however, that the Myanmar court has already handed down verdicts against the Thai people, and that the Myanmar justice system is to be respected. Meanwhile, Thai Defence Ministry Spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng told reporters that Myanmar has prosecuted the Thai detainees on three counts, as 82 of them were found guilty of illegal immigration and were each sentenced to three years and six months in jail, two of them were charged with narcotic offences and their cases will be considered tomorrow and the remaining eight were charged with illegal possession of war weapons and their sentence is expected by today. (TNA)